651 REVIEWS Overall rating (4.6) / 94% would recommend to a friend.
Tune into all your favourite DAB radio shows and easily select your go-to stations with 20 pre-sets. Wake you up on time with a dual alarm, snooze and sleep timer. Power using the included mains cable or pop in some batteries and rock out where ever you are.
Stylish wooden design that will look great on your kitchen counter, office desk or in your bedroom.
Product features:
LCD display.
20 preset stations - allows you to easily switch between your favourite stations.
Generates 3 watts RMS.
RDS scrolling text for digital radio.
Alarm with sleep timer function.
Auto time update.
Auto tune and auto scan.
General information:
Size H17.9, W26.1, D11.5cm.
Mains operated.
Batteries required 4 x C (not included).
Latest comments (51)
Jules_HT
11 Aug 17#49
I picked up one of these to replace our battered Aldi "rugged" DAB- and the display is identical- same colour, same size, same font, same blocks filling up when it tunes. I'd go so far as to speculate that under the hood it's the same radio.
These discussions about the merits of DAB are a bit irellevant- we like a little DAB radio in the kitchen so we can hit the power button and get 6music without messing around getting a phone out, bluetoothing it to a speaker, then using a data based internet radio. Plus we can take it in the caravan and get (again) 6music without needing decent phone signal. So for us a DAB radio is a pretty essential item and a nice enough looking (if a bit plastic and cheap looking up close), decent enough sounding (don't expect thumping base, but for whipping up a curry to it's fine) one for £20 is a bargain. So it's a "hot" from me, cheers OP.
Others may have absolutely no use for one, and that's fine- but it's pointless arguing over who is right!
Carrie.F to Jules_HT
14 Aug 17#51
I'm always right !!! :innocent:
DingIs
9 Aug 17#32
For my tuppence on the DAB issue, living in Gods Own County the reception (availability) is terrible. Anyone I know with a DAB radio in the car will only listen to FM or CD/MP3s because the DAB constantly loses signal going past trees, tall houses, any metal structure like garages/warehouses, even if they park in front of my (metal) garage door it blocks the signal. It's just not fit for purpose here. And since mobile data is getting stupidly cheap now (see the 30gb/£15 thread), at home just click any gadget on wifi to get the same stations or out and about everyone offers free wifi then personally i don't see much future for it, .
Carrie.F to DingIs
14 Aug 17#50
Never had any of these issues - Sony Dab indoors and Audi Dab in the car - both are great.
Biker.Jeff
9 Aug 17#9
Does anyone have this radio ?...... Want to know whether its DAB+ or not. Argos say it isn't DAB+, but the staff that answer Q&A are often clueless.
Personally i dont see the point of buying a non DAB+ radio with more DAB+ stations becoming avaliable.
drasim to Biker.Jeff
9 Aug 17#10
No it won't, it's a really old model.
Biker.Jeff to drasim
9 Aug 17#11
Have you got this radio then ?
drasim to Biker.Jeff
9 Aug 17#15
Ignore me, I was looking at a slightly different model.
tightpants to Biker.Jeff
9 Aug 17#12
The Q and A section has an answer from Argos/Bush Support that it does not have DAB+
Biker.Jeff to tightpants
9 Aug 17#13
I know it does, i already mentioned that. But the staff are often wrong in their info. Many DAB radios will receive DAB+ even though there is no mention of it in the specs. Thats why i asked if anyone has this radio.
androoski to Biker.Jeff
9 Aug 17#24
There are only a very few DAB+ stations and the ones we have are using a low bitrate. DAB+ hasn't really got off the ground properly in the UK.
Hucknallred to androoski
9 Aug 17#30
The whole point of DAB+ is that the bitrates are lower than DAB. DAB uses 1980s MP2 encoding, DAB+ uses more efficient AAC, so higher quality sound in less bandwidth. Union Jack sounds just fine in Stereo on DAB+. The majority of commercial DAB stations are in mono at awful bitrates.
Biker.Jeff to Hucknallred
9 Aug 17#31
I listen to Union Jack a lot, hardly any ads and no woffling presenters that think they're more important than the music. Great station.
bargainornotnot to Biker.Jeff
10 Aug 17#48
Tried Union Jack for first time today, totally agree, what a great station, thanks for the recommendation, Planet Rock is now second best.
blue0000 to Biker.Jeff
9 Aug 17#39
I got the radio today great sound it is dab and fm well worth the money.
Biker.Jeff to blue0000
9 Aug 17#40
I wanted to know if its DAB+, not just plain DAB. Do you know what DAB+ is ?
pototea
10 Aug 17#47
What are the speakers like?
The specs say 2x 1.5w RMS speakers.
Is that a different sound quality to my 2x 5w bluetooth speaker?
sdduk2
10 Aug 17#46
£37 on Amazon. I ordered one just now and will be here today between 7/10pm
I listen to 6Music religiously at home - by far my favourite radio station. As mentioned, I have to use TuneIn Radio (ie, data) if I want to listen to it out and about which is a pain...wish there were DAB apps for Android that didn't require an internet connection?
In more remote areas of Scotland you can't get DAB coverage at all, so I'd assume some areas of the UK still suffer similarly. FM is more widespread and easier to access so that probably explains its slow fade (see what I did there?) :stuck_out_tongue:
othen to louiselouise
10 Aug 17#44
DAB is a pretty good solution for people on the move - so vehicles. I'm pleased that coverage has improved a great deal in just the last few years (so I can receive Magic all over the country almost seamlessly, something that was never the case with FM).
It is interesting what you say about where you live in Scotland, the situation must have been much the same in Norway - and that country switched over to DAB some years ago. I think (but someone with better technical knowledge than me may correct me) that DAB coverage should be much the same as FM once the change is made because radio waves at those frequencies will effectively give a line of sight coverage. I recall that in Norway there never was much FM coverage outside of Oslo, except for a few local stations in places like Boda. I am guessing that the huge areas between the towns there are still covered by AM as they were when I last lived there 20 years ago. There may be some remote areas where you live where this remains the case and people will get the Shipping Forecast on long wave.
We live in an age where so much is available that we take much for granted.
louiselouise to othen
10 Aug 17#45
I'm more or less in the city centre and was plagued by the "bubbling mud" noise with 6Music for ages (not happened for a year or two). Will have to ask about the Highlands and see if reception has improved.
Pandamansays
10 Aug 17#43
I also have this radio. It is not DAB+ It works fine and is a good buy at this price. My only complaint is that saving/changing stations using the presets is far more complicated than it ought to be.
waynester21
9 Aug 17#36
I've never had a DAB radio and don't intend on buying one anytime soon. FM radio is "good enough" for me. When DAB was about a few years ago there was an electrical shop in my hometown that sold all the new radios. It was pointless because there was no reception at the time. I'm not even sure if there is now.
Eagerbeaver to waynester21
9 Aug 17#42
Don't believe the con that FM is inferior. It is different. DAB brings convenience and usually a wider range of stations but FM is perfectly OK.
CWH
9 Aug 17#41
I have this exact one in work and for the past 4 years there has been no problems with it :smile:
I bought this a few years ago too and it is very good except for the buttons now are a bit temperamental. It has been looked after and it is probably that they have dirty contacts after being used in the kitchen. But for example sometimes when you turn it off it comes back on a few seconds later. Or you press a preset button and it thinks you have pressed the fm button instead. Overall it's good though.
niccockrem
9 Aug 17#35
I've used this as a site radio for about 4 years and is very good at this price.
coventgamer
9 Aug 17#34
Love a big bush
ashok_mistry
9 Aug 17#16
I bought it and love it - recommend it.
othen to ashok_mistry
9 Aug 17#20
Now that is a helpful comment.
TheDiscountSeeker to othen
9 Aug 17#33
Short, sweet and to the point! My kind of review! :wink:
Eagerbeaver
9 Aug 17#4
I didn't realise DAB was still around. It seemed like a pointless technology and is certainly superceded now. It falls far short of the quality of FM or the convenience of streaming.
A device like this will eat batteries if you try to use it as a portable.
othen to Eagerbeaver
9 Aug 17#6
I think you may have misunderstood this one: it is DAB that is replacing FM (it already has in some countries) and FM radio that will eventually be switched off. This article explains it is very easy to understand words:
Thanks. I thought I'd read that the switchover to DAB had been shelved but am happy to be corrected. At home we use a combination of FM and streaming and in the car it is almost always a streamed service that we use even though the car does have integrated DAB. I've no idea how much data we use but have never gone over the allowance and rarely lose coverage. Most people I've spoken to who have moved from FM say they either tried DAB and didn't like it or jumped from FM/AM to streaming. The majority of others of course are still on FM.
afroylnt to othen
9 Aug 17#21
And internet radio has replaced DAB outside of vehicles and old people's homes.
Good price though if you like retro stuff.
othen to afroylnt
9 Aug 17#23
I think that is a little rude: I and many people I know use DAB radio in our homes (as well as getting radio via Freeview, Freesat, Internet, FM and even AM), none live in old persons' homes.
Eagerbeaver to othen
9 Aug 17#26
In fairness, I don't think any offence was meant. More a case of trying to help steer people away from what is already a technology that has been replaced by what is largely a more convenient alternative.
Many of us on here are guilty of buying what seems like a "bargain" at the time to just find it still boxed and unused a year later.
I'm appreciative of anyone who tries to steer me away from purchases like that.
cicobuff to Eagerbeaver
9 Aug 17#7
It is far from pointless although our government are really dragging their feet with the switch off of analogue.
It only falls short of the quality of FM due to the lack of multiplexes, government dragging their feet yet again.
Greater choice than FM, and no dependence on data plans make it very convenient.
How convenient would we find streaming in our car when we only listen to 6 Music (cannot find that on FM and Radio 1 or 2 are generally far from our music tastes) and both have 4GB 4G Data plans per month? Not only would we struggle with way more break up on long journeys we also would unnecessarily eat into our Data plans, DAB is (bar your license fee) free in our car.
othen to cicobuff
9 Aug 17#8
Thank you for that explanation, your technical knowledge is much better than is mine.
I am interested that you say the government (this would I think apply to all parties) is dragging its feet when it comes to turning off the FM signal, I'm not sure that is true (and even if it is that may not be a bad thing). In the article I posted for Eagerbeaver's benefit earlier it mentioned that only Norway has so far switched off FM, whilst this has been practical in Norway with a small population that almost all live in the very southern part of the country, there would be many more problems in doing so in the UK. We are a very conservative (small c) nation and there still be many retired schoolteachers driving around in 1995 Rover 25s and listening to The Archers on their 1985 Roberts FM radio in the kitchen in 10 years time. Governments are (rightly I think) cogniscant of a large part of our population that have not yet made the switch, and will not very quickly. To an extent I count myself among those not fully switched: I have DAB in both my cars (and enjoy Magic - as long as my son doesn't change it to a rap station), as well as a couple of portable DAB radios, but I'd be really irritated if the Ariston FM receiver I bought in 1990 was suddenly redundant and I had to purchase a DAB separate unit.
I think that we have probably been quite forward leaning on the DAB issue (as a nation). Clearly there will be a point when we change to DAB only for radio, but let's not jump just yet.
Best wishes.
androoski to Eagerbeaver
9 Aug 17#25
Have you sat in a new car lately? Streaming isn't a reliable option for vehicles and FM quality advantage is wiped out by tyre, engine and wind noise in the car.
As for portable, I don't know about this particular radio, but newer DAB chipsets are much better on newer sets. My Roberts Gemini is quite old but will play for 24 hours before I have to leave it to charge overnight.
Eagerbeaver to androoski
9 Aug 17#28
I don't think the age of the car affects the ability for the receiver to stream, I think that is limited by the ISP and their coverage.
My ISP is Three and as mentioned, rarely have drop outs.
In any case, this unit is not for in car use.
money-talks
9 Aug 17#27
Not dab+ and loses memory's when turned off if you are using mains only. cheap for a reason
flawed
9 Aug 17#22
Had to do a double take. They've stolen the design of the Pure Evoke 3!
ok, Just trying to help. Skim read your post. Best go to the store and find out for yourself then.
Proveright
9 Aug 17#5
Good price. Now that Argos are part of Sainburys it would be interesting what price Sainnsbury Dab radios are now. Not long ago they would have them on display marked 40 then reduced to 20 something.
This one looks like 2 speakers, but I cannot see in the spec any mention of how many speakers, and as its only 3rms I suspect it may only be one. I thought Dab was supposed to be better even though it consumes more electric.
It is funny how Dab delay is different to TV and to internet streaming especially if you are listening and watching football on different media.
othen
9 Aug 17#3
This looks like quite a nice radio (and I may buy one) but I'm struggling to see why it is a hot deal (which is the metric) as it seems to be the regular price.
john306
9 Aug 17#2
Cheap enough, but what price was it initially, can't see it anywhere?
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Opening post
651 REVIEWS Overall rating (4.6) / 94% would recommend to a friend.
Stylish wooden design that will look great on your kitchen counter, office desk or in your bedroom.
Product features:
- LCD display.
- 20 preset stations - allows you to easily switch between your favourite stations.
- Generates 3 watts RMS.
- RDS scrolling text for digital radio.
- Alarm with sleep timer function.
- Auto time update.
- Auto tune and auto scan.
General information:Latest comments (51)
These discussions about the merits of DAB are a bit irellevant- we like a little DAB radio in the kitchen so we can hit the power button and get 6music without messing around getting a phone out, bluetoothing it to a speaker, then using a data based internet radio. Plus we can take it in the caravan and get (again) 6music without needing decent phone signal. So for us a DAB radio is a pretty essential item and a nice enough looking (if a bit plastic and cheap looking up close), decent enough sounding (don't expect thumping base, but for whipping up a curry to it's fine) one for £20 is a bargain. So it's a "hot" from me, cheers OP.
Others may have absolutely no use for one, and that's fine- but it's pointless arguing over who is right!
And since mobile data is getting stupidly cheap now (see the 30gb/£15 thread), at home just click any gadget on wifi to get the same stations or out and about everyone offers free wifi then personally i don't see much future for it, .
Argos say it isn't DAB+, but the staff that answer Q&A are often clueless.
Personally i dont see the point of buying a non DAB+ radio with more DAB+ stations becoming avaliable.
But the staff are often wrong in their info. Many DAB radios will receive DAB+ even though there is no mention of it in the specs.
Thats why i asked if anyone has this radio.
Union Jack sounds just fine in Stereo on DAB+. The majority of commercial DAB stations are in mono at awful bitrates.
Great station.
Do you know what DAB+ is ?
The specs say 2x 1.5w RMS speakers.
Is that a different sound quality to my 2x 5w bluetooth speaker?
I ordered one just now and will be here today between 7/10pm
amazon.co.uk/gp/…EAZ
In more remote areas of Scotland you can't get DAB coverage at all, so I'd assume some areas of the UK still suffer similarly. FM is more widespread and easier to access so that probably explains its slow fade (see what I did there?) :stuck_out_tongue:
It is interesting what you say about where you live in Scotland, the situation must have been much the same in Norway - and that country switched over to DAB some years ago. I think (but someone with better technical knowledge than me may correct me) that DAB coverage should be much the same as FM once the change is made because radio waves at those frequencies will effectively give a line of sight coverage. I recall that in Norway there never was much FM coverage outside of Oslo, except for a few local stations in places like Boda. I am guessing that the huge areas between the towns there are still covered by AM as they were when I last lived there 20 years ago. There may be some remote areas where you live where this remains the case and people will get the Shipping Forecast on long wave.
We live in an age where so much is available that we take much for granted.
A device like this will eat batteries if you try to use it as a portable.
home.bt.com/tec…537
At home we use a combination of FM and streaming and in the car it is almost always a streamed service that we use even though the car does have integrated DAB.
I've no idea how much data we use but have never gone over the allowance and rarely lose coverage.
Most people I've spoken to who have moved from FM say they either tried DAB and didn't like it or jumped from FM/AM to streaming. The majority of others of course are still on FM.
Good price though if you like retro stuff.
Many of us on here are guilty of buying what seems like a "bargain" at the time to just find it still boxed and unused a year later.
I'm appreciative of anyone who tries to steer me away from purchases like that.
It only falls short of the quality of FM due to the lack of multiplexes, government dragging their feet yet again.
Greater choice than FM, and no dependence on data plans make it very convenient.
How convenient would we find streaming in our car when we only listen to 6 Music (cannot find that on FM and Radio 1 or 2 are generally far from our music tastes) and both have 4GB 4G Data plans per month? Not only would we struggle with way more break up on long journeys we also would unnecessarily eat into our Data plans, DAB is (bar your license fee) free in our car.
I am interested that you say the government (this would I think apply to all parties) is dragging its feet when it comes to turning off the FM signal, I'm not sure that is true (and even if it is that may not be a bad thing). In the article I posted for Eagerbeaver's benefit earlier it mentioned that only Norway has so far switched off FM, whilst this has been practical in Norway with a small population that almost all live in the very southern part of the country, there would be many more problems in doing so in the UK. We are a very conservative (small c) nation and there still be many retired schoolteachers driving around in 1995 Rover 25s and listening to The Archers on their 1985 Roberts FM radio in the kitchen in 10 years time. Governments are (rightly I think) cogniscant of a large part of our population that have not yet made the switch, and will not very quickly. To an extent I count myself among those not fully switched: I have DAB in both my cars (and enjoy Magic - as long as my son doesn't change it to a rap station), as well as a couple of portable DAB radios, but I'd be really irritated if the Ariston FM receiver I bought in 1990 was suddenly redundant and I had to purchase a DAB separate unit.
I think that we have probably been quite forward leaning on the DAB issue (as a nation). Clearly there will be a point when we change to DAB only for radio, but let's not jump just yet.
Best wishes.
As for portable, I don't know about this particular radio, but newer DAB chipsets are much better on newer sets. My Roberts Gemini is quite old but will play for 24 hours before I have to leave it to charge overnight.
My ISP is Three and as mentioned, rarely have drop outs.
In any case, this unit is not for in car use.
cheap for a reason
Not long ago they would have them on display marked 40 then reduced to 20 something.
This one looks like 2 speakers, but I cannot see in the spec any mention of how many speakers, and as its only 3rms I suspect it may only be one.
I thought Dab was supposed to be better even though it consumes more electric.
It is funny how Dab delay is different to TV and to internet streaming especially if you are listening and watching football on different media.